Development Manager (Chicago / Hybrid)

Feeding America•Chicago, IL

22h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Development serves as a frontline major gift fundraiser, driving new and increased philanthropic revenue through proactive prospecting, meaningful relationship building and direct solicitation. Builds and guides a pipeline through outbound prospecting, discovery conversations and meaningful engagement strategies to secure and renew mission-based partnerships. Matches charitable motivations with strategic priorities to secure gifts of $25,000+. Conducts prospect research, develops personalized philanthropic content, completes gift and pledge documentation and records all donor interactions. Feeding America believes in offering a flexible work environment. Employees can be in the office an average of 2 days a week (when not travelling for work) and work from home on other days. Employees also have access to a 30-day “work anywhere” program during the course of each calendar year that can be combined with PTO and/or holidays.

Requirements

5+ years of experience with best practices for the cultivation of major gifts including developing donor strategies, solicitation approaches and donor stewardship.
Ability to screen prospective donors from lists provided by network members and senior leaders to quickly determine which to direct cultivation efforts toward.
Familiarity with donor relationship management tools and software.
Ability to do first level prospect research using WealthEngine and other tools and to coordinate higher level prospect research with other team members at Feeding America.
Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with all levels of staff, food bank network member colleagues, volunteers, donors and prospective donors.
Fosters an Enterprise Mindset
Fosters an Open and Supportive Environment
Leads with Accountability
Collaborates Internally and Externally
Focuses on People and Teams
Manages Organization and Business Complexity
Communicates with Impact and Influence

Responsibilities

Actively identifies, cultivates and thanks donors, managing relationships and developing cultivation and solicitation strategies to secure gifts of $25,000+.
Conducts high volumes of donor outreach through visits, phone calls and highly personalized communications to build relationships, advancing donors through the development cycle.
Develops personalized stewardship plans for individual philanthropists and family foundations in partnership with colleagues in Development, Executive Leadership, program leads and Network fundraising colleagues with clarity, purpose and actionable next steps.
Prepares materials for and delivers personalized solicitations including briefing memos, verbal asks, proposals and stewardship including thank you letters, reports and gift documentation.
Evaluates giving vehicles and recommends charitable plans in alignment with policies and programs that achieve a donor’s philanthropic goals and meets Feeding America’s funding needs.
Prioritizes a better together mindset collaborating with network members to cultivate, solicit and steward donors and create regional strategies.
Co-creates regional strategy for major and principal gift development and Network partner engagement in assigned territory.
Utilizes research tools and wealth screenings to prospect and prepare for donor meetings.
Assures that all donor interactions in assigned portfolio are recorded in Feeding America’s database and all gifts are properly recorded by gift accounting staff.
Supports Department wide initiatives to mobilize external partners through special projects and campaigns.
Builds personal and team capacity through ongoing learning and innovation.
Actively engages in and exhibits Feeding America’s commitment to inclusion and belonging in daily interactions and communications.